Building Futures, Enriching Lives
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Building Futures, Enriching Lives
At WEC, all of our teachers are trained in early education and our qualifications all meet or exceed the requirements set forth by the Regulations for Early Childhood Programs. Teachers are CPR/First-Aid certified and have completed the Vermont Basic Specialized Care training. Many of our teachers have Child Development Associate Degrees, Associate’s Degrees, Bachelor’s or Master’s Degrees, and many are on the Northern Lights Career Development Ladder. Our team is constantly learning, growing, and participating in many different training courses.
Kara von Behren
(she/her/hers)
Co-Director
"Children learn through play and experience. When they have the chance to be the leaders of their learning, they can take ownership and become truly immersed. Their learning unfolds and they can become their best selves when we trust them, treat them as responsible and capable beings, and when we help them to understand who they are and what makes them so wonderful. When we teach children what they want to learn and in the methods that they excel in, we give them the opportunity to know their own greatness and reach their potential. In order to do this, we must provide opportunities and invitations for children that are rich in sensory experiences, that explore and encapsulate the beauty of the natural world, and that surround children with the comfort and security they need to feel emotionally and physically safe enough to explore the world around them. We teach children first by connecting through the heart, and only then can we connect through the mind. As Aristotle says, "Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all."
Ashley Lafountain
(she/her/hers)
Co-Director
"I believe children are incredibly capable and if we give them opportunities to show us how capable they are, they will surprise us every day. I believe the learning. environment is key to the success of young children. Our youngest learners are more likely to succeed socially, emotionally, and academically when they are in a positive classroom atmosphere, when their teachers have an understanding of growth and development, and when they feel physically and emotionally safe."
Lauren Bergeron
(she/her/hers)
Seeker (Preschool) Teacher
"It is our job to offer joy to our youngest citizens to help them feel a part of their community and establish a love for learning. I view children as confident, responsible, independent, creative, curious, and above all capable young beings. Children come to us full of potential with the desire to learn. They are natural researchers and our role as a teacher is to research and facilitate the research alongside them collaboratively. To further the learning process in our school, teachers shall listen, observe, inquire, reflect, work together, document, and hold themselves accountable."
Monique Gardon
(she/her/hers)
Seeker (Preschool) Teacher
"Working with children has been a career that I have found so much passion and love in. As an educator, I deeply value the joy that children carry with them into every setting. My goal as their teacher is to nurture and share in that joy, by letting them explore and learn freely. I hope to facilitate their growth by following their lead in the classroom and providing new and exciting opportunities for exploration."
Tyler Bergeron
(he/him/his)
Adventurer (Older Toddler) Teacher
"I love spending my days with days with young learners, being outside and bringing the natural world inside as well. My goal is to bring laughter and joy to students' lives. When we listen to children, we give them their voice and empower them to engage positively and meaningfully with one another and themselves."
Caitlin Durkin
(she/her/hers)
Adventurer (Older Toddler) Teacher
"I believe that children have such untapped potential for themselves & society. We as a society must value children and all that they bring to the world; they have so much to offer, and it is such a blessing to witness all that they do. I love getting a window into their minds and seeing the direction the world can go when we truly honor children for who they are and all they can and will be and do."
Meg Atwood
(she/her/hers)
Adventurer (Older Toddler) Teacher
"I know that I was born to be a teacher, and in the bottom of my soul I know this is what I am supposed to do. I believe that children are so curious and ask the best questions. I love running with children's questions and developing curriculum based on their interests, guiding them to deeper questions and learning. Their sense of wonder is boundless, and they get so excited about things.
Olivia Friedensohn
(she/her/hers)
Explorer (Younger Toddler) Teacher
"I believe children are capable humans who have so much to offer the world. We can all learn so much from them every day, and their creativity and compassion reminds all of us of the kind of people we strive to be. Learning and growing alongside young children gives me hope for the world and its humanity."
Colin Gidarakos
(he/him/his)
Explorer (Younger Toddler) Teacher
"I believe children learn through experience. Allowing them to play, communicate with others, and explore the world around them gives them the chance to grow and learn. Children have such a natural curiosity and love of learning, and it is a teacher’s job to foster and allow this love to grow. I aim to discover what interests my students and give them an avenue to explore this, as well as introducing them to new discoveries that enthrall them. I genuinely love working with children, and am ecstatic not only to watch them grow, but to grow along with them. I am committed to developing cognitive, social and physical development with a loving environment in which they feel safe to explore and be themselves."
Hanna Allard
(she/her/hers)
Explorer (Younger Toddler) Teacher
"I believe children should be celebrated. They do wild. and wonderful things every day and what they are able to do amazes me. I celebrate how wonderful they all are and recognize now much they are always learning. I love the general goofiness of toddlers and know that children deserve to be respected just as we respect adults, because we are all humans together."
Erica Lyon
(she/her/hers)
Contributor (Infant) Teacher
"I love to laugh and my favorite sound in the world is hearing a child laugh. I know that I want to work with infants because my passion is on the whole family unit, and working with infants is a very intimate time when families are more connected and my role as teacher and guide can support the whole family through such a new time in their lives. I believe that children are little citizens of this world who are so capable of love, growth, and compassion. My goal and passion is to bring laughter into the lives of the children and their families, to have a space that can be their home away from home that brings joy and connection, and to be around people who empower others and lift each other up."
Carly Lucia
(she/her/hers)
Contributor (Infant) Teacher
"I believe children are born with endless potential, and being part of their lives when they are so new to this world is such a privilege. I believe in making meaningful connections with children and their families and being able to help the whole family grow and discover new things together. When we see children as such wonderful tiny people who are capable of so much greatness, we help them become the people they were meant to be in a way that is supportive, loving, and empowering."
Avi Isaacs-Cocoran
(he/him/his)
Contributor (Infant) & Explorer (Young Toddler) Assistant
"I believe children are so smart and magical, and they are so much smarter than we give them credit for. Children have so much to offer and when we are willing and open to learning from and alongside them, we all become the best versions of ourselves. I know that good, comprehensive, high quality early childhood experiences is the way we change society."
Riley Gamache
(she/her/hers)
Contributor (Infant) Assistant
"Children are learners from the day that they are born; by nurturing their ability to explore, create, and make connections in their earliest years, we can help them feel free to learn and grow in a caring environment. Children are so incredibly smart and adaptable, and I believe that by providing nurturing and gentle care, as well as by teaching through example, we can help create a more empathetic and inclusive generation."
Ivey Ledward
(she/her/hers)
"I believe that we learn from everyone we encounter, including children Each child teaches me things about myself, and being part of their lives helps me open up to understanding about parts of myself that are often hard to find on my own. Children help you explore and learn, and they are truly amazing. I believe that working with children helps each of us find our own humanity."